Siphoning apparatus



Feb. 3, 1959 Filed April l5, 1955 E. F. WALTS SIPHONING APPARATUS .NimhI 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.

Filed April l5, 1955 E. F. WALTS SIPHONING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5FIG. 3.

w-|NTERLoCK Y n* sou-:Nom K VALVE /95 /9 soLENoID CONTROL VALVE i UNITCONVEYOI2- 59, UMIT svvnTcH FIG. 4. INVENTOR EARL F. WALTS BY UnitedStates Patent SIPHONING APPARATUS Earl F. Waits, Union Springs, N. Y.,assignor to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., a corporation ofMassachusetts `Application April 15, 1955, Serial No. 501,622

6 Claims. (Cl. 141-121) This invention relates to amachine for treatinga fluid substance and more particularly to a machine for Siphoning thephosphor material cushioning fluid from a cathode ray tube envelopeafter the phosphor coating has been deposited on the cathode ray tubephosphor panel by means of a settling technique.

The prior art teaches removal of the phosphor cushioning lluid from thecathode ray tube envelope after deposition of the phosphor coating bymanual insertion of a Siphon tube through the neck of the tube and intocontact with the fluid, whereby the fluid is partially removed. Tliesiphoning procedure is followed by a decanting operation. The apparatusused in these processes requires costly attention by an operator andresults in a large number of rejects due primarily to accidentalbreakage of the glass neck portions of the envelope and contamination ofthe phosphor coating. ln addition, the lluid removal operation is timeconsuming andthe rate and amount of fluid removed is dependent upon theoperators judgement. inaccuracies in judgement by the operator resultsin an in-rush ofair into the tube, which disturbs the settled phosphorscreen.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a machine whichwill substantially avoid the afore-mentoned difficulties.

Another object is to provide a siphoning apparatus which will operate ina iixed time cycle.

A further object is the provision of an apparatus which automaticallycenters a reciprocating conduit with a receptacle.

v A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine havinga pressure actuated conduit which reciprocates in a predetermined timedcycle.

A still further object is to provide a siphoning apparatus capable ofcooperation with a conveyor movement of receptacles whereby theapparatus components y determine the receptacle position and operationof the conveyor.

For a better understanding of the invention, together with other andfurther objects, advantages and capabilities thereof,vreference is madeto the following description and appended claims in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a partially sectioned front View of one embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure l;

Fig. 3 is a view taken along section 3-35 showing the movement of thereceptacle centering device of the machine; and Figure 4 is a blockdiagram showing the electrical connections between the various elementsutilized to provide sequential operation of the machine components.

Briefly, the invention comprises an apparatus having means for aligninga siphoning conduit with respect to the open neck of a cathode ray tubeenvelope having a iluid therein, means for moving the conduit into thelluid, means for moving thel aligning `means from its original "ice bwlposition, means for moving the conduit out of the envelope aftercompletion of the siphoning operation Vand means for re-locating thealigning means to its original position.

Referring to Figure l, the siphoning apparatus is mounted upon frame 11,which straddles Conveyor 13. Rigidly secured to the top horizontal plate15 of the frame is a four-way solenoid valve chamber 17 which isconnected to a rotary vane type cylinder 1S by means of tubes 20. Afour-way solenoid valve chamber 19, best shown in Fig. 2, is alsomounted on bar 15. These valves are connected to an air pressure systemby means of a flow control member 21.

A rotatable assembly 23 is suspended from horizontal plate 15 by meansof aligning shaft or arm 25 and a ilexible coupling 27. The flexiblecoupling may be made of any resilient material such as rubber. A spindle26 connected to the rotary vane of cylinder 18 is attached to the topportions of coupling 27, and shaft 25 is confined within the surfacedefined by the aperture walls 33 in guide 31. As shown in Figure l, thisaperture is larger than the shaft diameter, and therefore allowsmovement of the shaft about its center-line position.

The assembly 23 is rigidly attached to the lower end of shaft 25 bymeans of connecting arm 35. Welded to the connecting arm and verticallydisposed therefrom is a support column 37. An air cylinder or actuatingmeans 39 having a straight acting piston is supported by an uppercylinder bracket 41 and a lower cylinder bracket 43. As is more clearlyshown by Figure 2, the top part of cylinder 39 is connected to one endof the solenoid valve chamber 19 by a flexible tube 45, the bottom endof the cylinder being connected to the other end of solenoid valve l@ bymeans of a flexible tube 47.

Shaft 49 is connected to column 37 by means of an upper support bracket51 and a lower support bracket 53. A brace 55 is slidably attached toshaft 49 by means of a weld connection with sleeve 57. Mounted upon thebrace is interlock plate 59, and counterweights 61. The counterweightsare in selective units. Therefore, a predetermined counterweightedmovement of brace 55 may be achieved by proper selection of the numberof desired units. Also attached to the brace is hook 73 and a hollowconduit or siphon tube 63. This conduit slides within an aperture 65 inbracket 53 and is guided thereby.

Resilient hose 67 connects the tube with a siphon pump (not shown). Aninterlock switch 69 is fastened to the upper portions of shaft 49 forcooperation with interlock plate 59 when brace 55 is in the uprnostposition of its reciprocating motion.

A hook 71, adjustable in length, is mounted upon bracket 43. Pulley 77is affixed to the piston of cylinder 3,9 and cord is looped over pulleys77 and 79 and is attached at opposite ends to hooks 71 and 73. Thecoupling or cord 75 follows a tortuous path between the hooks andoperates to raise bracket 53 when the piston of cylinder 39 is forceddownwardly.

Mounted upon the lower edge of column 37 is a fork shaped receptaclecontacting means or aligning device 81. Referring to Figure 3, the forkfingers straddle the neck portion 83 of a receptacle or cathode ray tubeenvelope 3S, the neck portion resting in the apex of the fork whenreceptacle 85 is in position under assembly 23. The envelope issupported and carried on conveyor 13 by lugs 87. A sensing device orlimit switch 89 is connected to the conveyor and cooperates with theenvelope to start operation of the siphoning machine.

The siphoning assembly shown in the drawings is in the position whereconduit 63 is in the treating position or in contact with the cushioningfluid. Referring to Figure l, the tube envelope 85 containing fluid 93moves alone @Dreyer 1.3. in a direction ,from tight tcleft. While thetube is moving into position below the siphoning unit, locating oraligning fork 81 is in the position shown by the solid line drawing ofFigure 3. That is, the fork fingers are extending outwardly to acceptthe incoming neck of the receptacle. At this time, and at all timeswhile the conveyor is moving, siphon tube or conduit 63 is in a raisedposition so that the lower-most edge of the conduit is clear of thereceptacle.. When the receptacle is located below assembly 23, theaction of limit switch 89, which rides along the flared portion ofreceptacle 85, causes conduit 63 to belowered through the opening 91 andinto contact with fluid 93. Fork 81 has aligned the neck of the tubewith assembly 23, and thereby aligned it with conduit 63. Flexiblecoupling 27, in con junction with the over-sized guide aperture 33,allows the assembly to pivot about the coupling, thereby providing ameans for an assured alignment of the conduit with the neck of cathoderay tube 85.

As limit switch 89 is actuated, control unit 95 operates solenoid valve19, which in turn operates cylinder 39. The piston of cylinder 39 andattached pulley 77 is thereby forced upward by the weighted meansincluding counter weights 61, the weight of brace 55 and the componentsmounted thereon. Brace 55 moves downwardly along shaft 49, guided bysleeve 57, and conduit 63 moves through opening 91 and into contact withthe liuid 93. The distance of travel of the conduit can be adjusted byscrewing hook 71 inwardly or outwardly. Also, the speed of descent ofconduit 63 is determinable by the number of units used as counterweights61. The linkage lor coupling cord 75 follows a tortuous path around thepulleys, thereby providing for a downward movement of the conduit withan upward parallel movement of the piston in cylinder 39. As soon asconduit 63 has contacted fluid 93, the siphon pump begins removing theuid.

After a predetermined time has elapsed subsequent to operation of limitswitch 89, the control unit 95 operates solenoid valve 17, which causesvane-type cylinder 16 to rotate approximately 150. This rotation causesthe entire assembly 23 to rotate about exible coupling 27. Referring toFigure 3, fork 81 is thereby rotated to the position shown by the dottedlines. This enables the fork arms to be orientated so as to be clear ofsubsequent forward movement of the neck of tube 85.

After the substance or fluid 93 has been removed to a predetermineddepth as regulated by the control unit 95 time sequence of operation,the control unit actuates solenoid valve 19 which in turn operatescylinder 39 and causes the piston and pulley 77 to move downwardly. Cord75 thereby raises conduit 63 from receptacle 85 and beyond neck opening91. As brace 55 reaches the top of its reciprocating movement, interlockplate 59 engages interlock switch 69, which in turn causes the controlunit to operate conveyor 13 and move tube 85 to a new position. Theconveyor can move only when brace 55 is in the upmost position andinterlock plate 59 is in Contact with interlock switch 69. As soon asthe tube moves beyond limit switch 89, control unit 95 actuates solenoidvalve 17 and causes vane-type cylinder 18 to rotate assembly 23 and theattachedfork 81 to its original or rest position, and in readiness forthe next receptacle coming into position along the conveyor.

The machine shown and `described automatically siphons an exact amountof fluid from each receptacle at a constant rate, with no contaminationor disturbance of the phosphor coating. The conduit is always alignedwith the neck of the receptacle, thereby avoiding neck breakage rejects.In addition, the apparatus needs no operator attention, is efficient inoperation, and has safety features insuring proper sequential movementsof the apparatus and a cooperating conveyor.

While there has been shown and described what at present is consideredthe preferred embodiment of the invention, it will become obvious tothose skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may bemade therein without departing from the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed:

l. A machine for inserting a hollow ocnduit into an open-endedreceptacle comprising support means, an aligning arm mounted on saidsupport means, a hollow conduit connected to said aligning arm forreciprocating motion along a path relative to the axis of said aligningarm, receptacle contacting means for locating the conduit reciprocationpath relative to the receptacle opening, a receptacle position sensingmeans, means operable in response to said receptacle position sensingmeans providing reciprocating motion of said conduit, and means formoving said receptacle contacting means from the locating position to areceptacle release position.

2. A machine for inserting a hollow conduit into an open-endedreceptacle comprising support means, an aligning arm mounted on saidsupport means, a hollow conduit connected to said aligning arm forreciprocating motion along a path relative to the axis of said aligningarm, receptacle contacting means for locating the conduit reciprocationpath relative to the receptacle opening, a receptacle position sensingmeans, means operable in response to said receptacle position sensingmeans providing reciprocating motion of said conduit, and means formoving said receptacle contacting means from the locating position to areceptacle release position while said conduit is in the treatingposition and the back to the locating position after the conduitreciprocates to the rest position.

3. A machine for inserting a hollow conduit into an open-endedreceptacle comprising support means, an aligningarm mounted on saidsupport means, a hollow conduit connected to said aligning arm forreciprocating motion along a path relative to the axis of said aligningarm, receptacle contacting means for locating the conduit reciprocationpath relative to the receptacle opening, a receptacle position sensingmeans for conveying actuating information when a conveyor movedreceptacle reaches the machine operation area, means operable inresponse to said receptacle position sensing means providingreciprocating motion of said conduit, and means for moving saidreceptacle contacting means from the locating position to a receptaclerelease position while the receptacle is in the machine operating areaand back to the locating position after the released receptacle movesout of the machine operating area.

4. A machine for inserting a hollow conduit into an open-endedreceptacle comprising support means, an aligning arm mounted in arestricted flexible depending relationship from said support means, ahollow conduit connected to said aligning arm for reciprocating motionbetween a rest position and a treating position along a fixed pathrelative to the axis of said aligning arm, receptacle contacting meansattached to said aligning arm in position to normally impede receptaclepassage for locating the conduit reciprocation path relative to thereceptacle opening, a receptacle position sensing means for conveyingactuating information when a conveyor moved receptacle reaches themachine operation area, means operable in response to said receptacleposition sensing means providing reciprocating motion of said conduit,and means for moving said receptacle contacting means from the locatingposition to a receptacle release position while the receptacle is in themachine operating area and back to the locating position after thereleased receptacle moves out of the machine operating area.

5. A machine for inserting a hollow conduit into an open-endedreceptacle comprising support means, a rotatable aligning arm mounted ina restricted flexible depending relationship from said support means, ahollow conduit connected to said aligning arm for reciprocating motionbetween a rest position and a treating position along a fixed pathparallel with the axis of said aligning arm,. receptacle contactingmeans attached to said aligning arm in position to normally impedereceptacle passage for locating the conduit reciprocation path relativeto the receptacle opening, a receptacle position sensing means forconveying actuating information when a conveyor moved receptacle reachesthe machine operation area, means operable in response to saidreceptacle position sensing means providing reciprocating motion of saidconduit, and means for rotating said aligning arm and said receptaclecontacting means from the locating position transversely of the conduitreciprocation movement to a receptacle release position and transverselyback to the locating position after the released receptacle moves out ofthe machine operating area.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,697,201 Muller Ian. l, 1929

